Genomics Research Asia Agenda

Registration

Coffee & Networking in Exhibition Hall

Epigenetic Deregulation in Cancer
Clare Stirzaker, Group Leader, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Australia

Epigenetic processes are deregulated in cancer. We have shown that epigenetic deregulation occurs not only at single genes but can also encompass large chromosomal domains, leading to long range epigenetic remodeling in cancer and atypical expression of genes.

Therapeutic Targeting of Epigenetic Machinery in Cancer: Novel Insights into Mechanism and Therapeutic Targets
WEE Zhen Ning Adrian, Postdoctoral Fellow, Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore

Recent efforts directed towards targeting EZH2 in cancer will be discussed in the context of both PRC2-dependent and-independent activities of EZH2 in oncogenesis.

Lunch & Networking in Exhibition Hall

Poster Viewing Session

Transcription Factors and Chromatin Interactions in Cancer Cells
Melissa Fullwood, Assistant Professor, Yale-NUS College, Singapore

Many distal transcription factor binding sites have been observed. Chromatin interactions can connect distal transcription factor binding sites with target gene promoters. In this talk, I will introduce Chromatin Interaction Analysis with Paired-End Tag sequencing (ChIA-PET), a next-generation sequencing-based method for identifying chromatin interactions between transcription factor binding sites on a genome-wide scale which was part of the ENCODE consortium. Our results suggest that chromatin interactions may be a major mechanism by which transcription regulation occurs in human cells.

Application of NGS in Personalized Oncology – From Discovery to Clinical Application
Ong Choon Kiat, Senior Scientist, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore

With landmark mutation studies for each cancer type completed and the reduced cost in high throughput sequencing, the pace toward personalized oncology is gaining momentum. I will describe the application of NGS in molecular diagnostics, its challenges and two successful cases on lung cancer.

Coffee & Networking in Exhibition Hall

Whole Genome Sequencing Analysis of Liver Cancer and Personalized Cancer Medicine
Hidewaki Nakagawa, Laboratory Head, RIKEN Center for Integrated Medical Sciences, Japan

Whole genome sequencing analysis for 100~ liver cancers reveals whole genome landscape of various phenotypes of liver cancers with multiple etiological backgrounds (virus and non-virus) for point mutations, CNVs, SVs, and virus integrations. Comparison among genomic pictures of heterogeneous liver cancers can clarify the underlying liver carcinogenesis and facilitate genomic biomarkers discovery and personalized cancer medicine.

Implementing Next Generation Sequencing Diagnostics in Asia
Richie Soong, Senior Principle Investigator, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Next generation sequencing (NGS) promises much to clinical diagnostics with its digital output, speed, and depth and breadth of coverage. However, to realize this promise, numerous issues need to be addressed. Technical issues include the selection of targets and assay formats, generation of validation data, handling of low level variants and bioinformatics. Cultural issues include the development of expertise, change management and centralization models. Financial issues include finding the right balance between cost, demand, and throughput. Regulatory issues include quality assurance, legal and ethics concerns. Moreover, the subtleties of Asian healthcare systems mean a significant degree of self-configuration needs to be undertaken. Our efforts to address these issues will be covered in the context of a pilot study on introducing screening for inherited cancer predisposition.

End of Day One

Coffee & Networking in Exhibition Hall

Cancer Biomarkers: A Market Landscape and Publication Trends Analysis
Enal Razvi, Managing Director, Select Biosciences Inc, United States of America

This presentation frames the broader market landscape for cancer biomarkers evaluated utilizing a number of industry metrics. We have utilized computational approaches to analyze the full cancer biomarkers publications space and this allows us to visualize publications trends as well as identify associations of specific molecular entities with various disease classes. We have performed an extensive analysis of the cancer biomarkers field and have found specific patterns of association with breast cancer for instance. This analysis is scalable as it is applicable to various classes and can be utilized as a means to predict biomarker associations which can then be experimentally-validated using retrospectively- or prospectively-isolated clinical samples. We also compare in this analysis traditional biomarkers (protein-based) with nucleic acid-based biomarkers arising from genomics-based discovery projects.

Robust Analysis of Structural Variations using Paired-end Sequencing Data
Swaine Chen, Assistant Professor, National University of Singapore, Singapore

I will present a new, robust method for paired-end sequencing data analysis to discover structural variations, using bacterial resequencing as a case study.

Lunch & Networking in Exhibition Hall

Poster Viewing Session

Exosomes and MicroRNA: Research and Translational Research Opportunities
Enal Razvi, Managing Director, Select Biosciences Inc, United States of America

Select Biosciences has been tracking closely the exosomes and microRNAs marketplace based on end-user research trends both qualitative as well as quantitative. This analysis frames the current research space, offers opportunities to companies to develop products, and frames opportunity for these biomarker classes to be validated and deployed as diagnostics for the future. In this presentation, I will also frame the market opportunity for other classes of circulating biomarkers since these markets are evolving in parallel with the exosomes space.

Tumor Type-specific Effects of Oncomir-1: Lessons from Mouse Models and Cancer Genomics
Andrei Thomas-Tikhonenko, Professor, University of Pennsylvania, United States of America

The miR-17-92 microRNA cluster was first identified as an oncogene by virtue of its amplification in a subset of human cancers. Yet while miR-17-92 is robustly transcribed in B-cell lymphoma, it maintains intermediate levels in most carcinomas, and is barely expressed in glioblastoma multiforme. This variance reflects fundamental differences in miR-17-92 biology across tumor types and has important implications for patient survival.

Coffee & Networking in Exhibition Hall

Systematic Analysis of Human Pluripotent Cells
Jonathan Yuin-Han Loh, Principal Investigator, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology A*STAR, Singapore

We have performed comprehensive systematic analysis of the transcriptome, proteome, and phosphoproteome, evaluating multiple hESCs, fully reprogrammed hiPSC, and somatic lines. Our study reveals novel features of RNA splicing mechanisms in regulating and maintaining the pluripotent cell state.

Close of Conference